The Potsdam Bears won the 2004-05 SUNYAC Men’s Basketball Regular Season Conference Title today as they downed Oneonta by a score of 66 – 55. The Bears close regulation play with a 22-3 overall record and a 13-3 SUNYAC tally. Oneonta now moves to 12-13 and 8-8
respectively. The top-seeded Bears will now host a first-round SUNYAC tournament contest next Tuesday while the sixth ranked Red Dragons will qualify for a tournament roadgame that night.
Potsdam expanded upon a nine-point halftime lead and never trailed in the second half. Leading the Bears in scoring was Edane Barton (Spring Valley/Colgate) with 22 points and 8 rebounds. Jim Connelly (Cayuga/Union Springs) followed with 12 points. Christian Turner (Central Square/P.V. Moore) added 11 points and 5 boards.
Connelly and Turner joined with Michael Brooks (Utica/Mohawk Valley CC), Jon Tanous (Liberty/Jeffersonville), Evril Clayton (Albany/Manhattan College), and Eldon Harris (Albany/Albany) as Coach Dobbs recognized the Potsdam seniors during a pre-game ceremony.
Leading Oneonta’s stats was William Heslin (Schaghticoke/Hoosic Valley) with 16 points and 5 rebounds. Kevin Reed (Downsville/Downsville) followed with 11 points and 3 rebounds. Sean Coffey (New Paltz/New Paltz) was the Red Dragons number two rebounder with 4 boards.